A Blessed Sunday: The Revolution of Character

Today, after drinking  a cup of coffee and eating "kakanin" I head on the church without much to take care of. The scripture verse this Sunday was from Colossians 3:1-4. Pastor E talked about character, how it is our inner strength. He says character is not what we do but it is who we are and it defines us, the expression of our faith.

Pastor E didn't speak so much he just elaborate the importance of character as a Christian and how Christian should be after accepting Christ as their Lord and Savior, that the old has gone and the new is here, we must live like Christ like. A Christian a completely changed person, transformed in character.

The responsive reading was very touching and it reads like this -

Father, During this coming week there may be times when I shall not be able to sense Your presence or to be aware of Your nearness.

When I am lonely and by myself I TRUST YOU TO BE MY COMPANION.

When I am tempted to sin I TRUST YOU TO KEEP ME FROM IT.

When I am depressed and anxious I TRUST YOU TO LIFT MY SPIRITS.

When I am crushed by my responsibility and overwhelmed by the demands of people on my time, I TRUST YOU TO GIVE ME POISE AND A SENSE OF PURPOSE.

When I am rushed and running I TRUST YOU TO MAKE ME STILL INSIDE.

When I forget You I TRUST THAT YOU WILL NEVER FORGET ME.

When I forget others I TRUST YOU TO PROMPT ME TO THINK OF THEM.

When you take something or someone from me that I want to keep; when You remove the props I lean on for comfort in place of You; when You refuse to respond to my questions and to answer my selfish prayers, I WILL TRUST YOU EVEN THEN. Amen

New Year Celebration 2017: Should We be Optimists or Pessimists?

Went to church on New Years eve and then went home and sleep, we have no preparation for the New Year. My sister wake me up when 12 o'clock strikes in the clock so I could see few fireworks in the sky, there's not much then it is drizzling. The night is very silent, my father fired eight pieces of "kwitis" then when they're all fired up, I went down and sleep again.

It's New Year and most people sleep late but the church service started very early because it is first Sunday of the month. Pastor opened his preaching for the day by asking if we are pessimist or optimist.  Looking back, I am always an optimistic person, I always look at the bright side and I always find good reason in every situation, like why a flight has been cancelled or delayed, that life is more important than money and so on... then my light dies... I became pessimistic and expect worst in every thing, I became hopeless...

Anyway, the scriptural scripture this Sunday is from Ephesians 5: 15-17. Pastor reminded everyone to watch our step because sometimes we are guilty of living too fast, to redeem our time and make most of every opportunity and do God's will.

Pastor E shared a lot of inspiring verses from the bible after the preaching proper like Let not your heart be troubled.” (John 14:1 KJV),  “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6) and other verses that were strong enough to pacify a hopeless and weary heart.

Since I went to church early without eating anything I decided to have a sip of coffee, ate bread  and peanut butter after church and while I am eating an aunt called and invited us to their house to eat, was told that some of our relatives were there eating.  I am already full but we don't want to disappoint our aunt so my sister and I went to their home which is now owned by her son. Well, they have plenty of preparation for the new year,  there was a lot of food to eat.

A Blessed Sunday: What Are The Things you Have that you can Trade?

There was a different Pastor today at church since Pastor E was assigned out of town, Pastor J talks about the things you are willing to trade for something else from the book of 1 Peter 5:8-11. She said if we are experiencing good life and doesn't experience problems we should be already nervous what path are we already walking. Maybe we are already walking a path to Satan's lair, Pastor J set Job as example how he was tempted by Satan and how he remained faithful to God.

[Photo courtesy of pinterest.com]

Pastor J shared some insights or ways to know if we are already trap by the enemy, first she said we are trapped when the things we want were given without struggle because it is true that when a person life is well he forgot God. He encouraged every one to be vigilant, to focus and be observant and secondly to meditate God's words.  A life without trial is an enemy's way to trap you.

A Blessed Sunday: Youth Sunday (Equipping the Next Generation)

Today is youth Sunday and there nothing much happened, Pastor E is out of town and assigned to deliver a preach in other church.  The service was prepared by youth and the Sunday service was all about singing praises and a short message from one of the older youth, it was told the music and interpretative dance rendered by the young people talks about FAITH.

[Photo courtesy of jesustoday.com]

The speaker also shared some insights how to equipped or teach the next generation:

1. Approached God - Prayer
2. Admit and Reject your sins
3. Accept Jesus as Lord and Savior

Since there was no preaching this Sunday which a little disappoint me the church service finished early. I love listening to God's words because it comforts me and give hope to me.

A Blessed Sunday: Fortress Inside the Home

Everything inside the church today is in Philippine language "Tagalog" because the country is celebrating "Buwan ng Wika" so Pastor E's preaching is in our national language and his topic this Sunday is about the "Fortress Inside the Home" from Psalms 100: 1-5 and Psalms 127: 1-5.

[Photo courtesy of silverfox1341.blogspot.com]

Pastor E talked about the strength of the foundation of the home, the elements that should be present to build a strong Foundation.

A Blessed Sunday: The Confidence in Discipleship

It was first Sunday of the month and it was raining hard, the church service started very early. There were only few people inside the church maybe because of the heavy rain, people were trap on their home. I was a bit soak in rain despite of having an umbrella.

Pastor E's scriptural topic was continuation and the last part about being a good disciple of Christ "The Confidence in Discipleship" based of scriptural verse John 15: 7-11. According to the bible to be a Gods disciple we should do three things - forget about our self, bring the cross and follow Him.

On the scriptural verses 7-8 we are told to be confident in our position, we should abide God and His words and when we do it God is glorified. Secondly, on verses 9-10 there is a provision, God's love us and He challenge us to remain in His love, while on verse 11 we have the confidence in our position in life since God equipped us with many talents and abilities, along the way God provided for us even though we challenged Him by doing nothing, for not growing as a Christian.

A Blessed Sunday: The Cost of Discipleship

It's the last Sunday of the month and Pastor E's topic on his preaching today was from the book of Luke 14: 25-33 with a a topic of "The Cost of Discipleship". Blessings are free and costly and there is very little blessings require in serving the Lord conveniently, Pastor E asked the congregation that considering God's investment in us, what God have received from us?

Pastor E also gave some points on the cost of discipleship like the criteria, God says on verse 26 to love Him more than we love our parents, brother and sisters and whoever do not so cannot be his disciple then on verse 27  it was said that in following Jesus there will be a cross to carry, it means responsibility and on verse 28 we have to sit down and think if we can continue serving God given the responsibilities and cost.

A Blessed Sunday: A Portrait of Fatherhood

Today, is Father's Day Sunday. Instead of Pastor E preaching it was his wife who delivered God's message, the scripture reading was from the book of 1 Thessalonians 2:7-12 with a topic "A Portrait of Fatherhood.

[Photo courtesy of fathers-days.net]

Pastor E's wife shared the traits of a father, according to her a father is able to express genuine love, he has transparent life where he isn't ashamed to cry in front of others, he has unselfish diligence, genuine spirituality and positive influence in his child's life.

There was some testimony from other members for their father, they were called to share something in front of the congregation.

A Blessed Sunday: Service that Pleasing the Lord

Hospital was our second home for a few days already, my father and I go home in the morning to collect water, do the laundry, cooked food and do other household chores and then we returned during lunch and went home again in the afternoon and went back to the hospital at late afternoon. It was been our routine for several days, it was hard to sleep during the night because we have to monitor my mother's urine every hour, by draining her catheter and measuring it. I sleep a bit at night and do the task during early morning but I can't sleep well at all because I was worrying with my mother's condition.

Anyway, I am not planning to attend church service today but my sister texted that if I want to go to church I just have to make sure that everything is right at home, so I immediately searched for my jeans and went to church with a cloudy mind, lack of sleep and non-stop worrying.

[Image source: mbchiawassee.org]

This Sunday is my father's birthday and it was exchanged pulpit Sunday which mean different Pastor will do the preaching, the preacher was a woman pastor (Pastor E.F) from sister church, her topic for the day was about "Service That Pleasing the Lord" based on scripture reading Matthew 25: 14-31.

What kind of service pleasing the Lord? According to Pastor E.F, productive service pleases the Lord, a service that is effective and fruitful, God gave us talents and ability for us  to flourish, He expected us to level up. Secondly, passionate service pleases the Lord, it is a service that is burning, committed, eager, excited, enthusiastic, hot and emotional in short it is a service that is from the heart. We should work with love to the Lord, our motivation should be love to glorify God. Thirdly, a faithful service pleases the Lord, it should be close, consistent, devoted, loyal and trustworthy. A faithful servant never retired, he served faithfully as long as he is alive. According to Pastor E.F a good servant acknowledge God as the owner and him as a steward and faithfulness is keeping promises.

A Blessed Sunday: The Call to Discipleship

Today, is the first Sunday of the month so the service started 7 o'clock in the morning. Pastor E topics is about the "The Call to Discipleship" based on Matthew 4:19 when Jesus invited Peter and Andrew to follow him to be fisher's of men.

[Photo courtesy of relationaldiscipleship.wordpress.com]

Pastor E encourages the congregation to strengthen their faith and live like Jesus wanted His children to be, to follow Him and live on His words. He also discuss about Jesus invitation to Peter and Andrew,  he said it was not only for them but for everyone. Peter and Andrew followed Jesus without hesitation, they trust and became obedient.

A Blessed Sunday - Jochebed: A Portrait of Godly Mother

On the previous Sunday the church celebrated Mother's Sunday and today Pastor E's preaching was about Jochebed, wife of Amram and the mother of Aaron, Miriam and Moses. The scriptural verse was from Exodus 2: 1-10, Pastor E talks about Jochebed's selfless love for her children.

[Image source: huntercastle.com]

Anyway, Pastor E continue his preaching about things to see in Jochebed's life which are enumerated in four C's: The first one was her credentials, she was born to the Levites in Egypt and wife of Amran. Jochebed's credential was her deep relationship with the Lord. She and her husband were evidently very dedicated and religious people. They were willing to defy the order of Pharaoh and keep the commandments of God. Secondly, courage, she was very courageous woman this could be seen in  Verse 2 where Jochebed refused to give in to a godless system that would have cost her the life of her son. Thirdly, Jochebed has confidence to resist the world and was strong woman motivated by a strong faith for God's will and the last C is charity, she has a wonderful way on how she gave herself to her kids.

Have you ever had to give up and let go of someone or something very precious to you?

When you let go, when you released that person or that thing, did you feel like part of you was breaking; now there was some new emptiness in your life, isn't it? As what we can read in the bible, Jochebed  give away her 3-month-old baby, not knowing what would happen to him, she placed baby Moses in a papyrus basket and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile...

A Blessed Sunday: Faithful Christian Service

This Sunday, Pastor E’s scriptural topic was about Faithful Christian Service based from scriptural verses Matthew 25:21, 1 Corinthians 4: 12 and Galatians 5: 22-23. Pastor E told the congregation that it is our duty to serve God but we served God in a voluntarily phases, in short we see ourselves as volunteers.

God put us in our particular place to be faithful and with a purpose, these purpose can be found in the following bible verses and what God encourages us to be:

[Photo courtesy of tnvalleytalks.hoop.la]

1. Hebrews 10: 25 – God wish each of us to be faithful in our attendance in church
2. 2 Timothy 2: 15 – Be faithful in reading the bible
3. 1 Thessalonians 5: 17 -  Be faithful in praying without ceasing
4. 2 Timothy 2: 19- 22 – Be faithful in our moral lives
5. James 2: 14-18 – Be faithful in serving others

Pastor E elaborates more and shared a story how King Henry III became an obedient King. He finishes his preach asking everyone a question "Will God find us faithful?"

A Blessed Sunday: Becoming A People of the Towel

It was first Sunday of the month and as usual the church service started early, during this day there was no Sunday school for all levels. Pastor E scriptural topic is about "Becoming People of the Towel" which literally means becoming servant of God. The scriptural verse was from John 13: 1-5 and John 13: 12-17

Pastor E tells about the story of Epaphroditus, a servant who risk and  gamble his life to serve Paul, he gambled everything for Jesus Christ so that the man of God would be served.

[Photo courtesy of journeychurchgillette.com]

On the book of John chapter 13, on the eve of His death, Jesus assumes the place of a slave and serves His disciples. While they were eating the Passover, Jesus gets up from the table and dons a towel. He poured a basin of water, and He began to wash the disciple’s feet.  He took the place of a slave before His men when Jesus did this. He took the place of the lowest kind of slaves, who were called “the people of the towel”. They were called this because it was their job to wash the feet of those who were superior to them.

Pastor E says Jesus did this to call His disciples to become people of the towel as well. He wants every person who follows Him to be a servant. He wants us to be a people of the towel. If we are to achieve that goal in our lives, we must develop a heart for others and we must learn from Jesus through His Labor, Lordship and Love.

A Blessed Sunday: Our Legacy Getting Right in a Culture that Has Gone Wrong

Yesterday was the last Sunday of the month and my morning doesn’t started right, I had a small fight with my sister because I didn’t like the way she speak towards me after I insists of fetching water so I could watered the plants early so I could prepare for church.

Anyway, despite my early misunderstanding with my younger sister I still went to church to asked for enlightenment and forgiveness, to asked God to remove the anger in my heart. Honestly, lately I have noticed that I tend to collect anger in my heart and I wasn't the same person anymore who can't be angry, well I guess I have changed a lot for the past few months I became strong emotionally.

There were three speakers in the pulpit yesterday, two of them are young people who went to Kasapulanan and then Pastor E, the scriptural topic was based on the topic in the Kasapulanan which is "Our Legacy Getting Right in a Culture that Has Gone Wrong" derived from scriptural verses of 1 Timothy 1: 1-6 and Daniel 3: 16-18.  The first young speaker talks about the end time (Revelation 5:5 and Revelation 1:3) as well as the wrong culture of many Christians today by going to church wearing improper clothes.

[Photo courtesy of  Lynn Babcock/pinterest.com]

The second young speaker who is a lot better than the first speaker talked about the Gospel and what Gospel shows, she firstly shared that Gospel is word of God (2 Timothy 3:16), it was a strong force against bad and even questioned how other people go to church but doesn't changed their attitude.

Anyway, second Gospel is the Kingdom of God (Matthew 4:12 and 1 Timothy 4:16) and lastly the culture, it was said as time passes culture changes, during biblical time church officers were appointed and not elected (Acts 1: 12-26 and Genesis 14:20). Pastor E then elaborate and speak a little about the topic that was spoken by the first two young speakers, and says that in Daniel 3: 16-18 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego the three people that were mentioned in these verses have three beautiful things in their life they have a strong answer, strong faith and principle.

A Blessed Sunday: World Day of Prayer 2016

Today, the service was different, Pastor E did the Sunday school service for youth and adult since the women were the one in-charge this Sunday to celebrate World Day of Prayer.

World Day of Prayer is takes place internationally on the first Friday of March every year but it was fine to celebrate on different Sunday if it isn’t possible on first Sunday and the host country for WDP 2016 is Cuba with the theme, prepared by the women, is “Receive children, receive me” with a focus on children. The scripture readings for the service are Isaiah 11:1-10 and Mark 10:13-16. The Bible study texts are Mark 10:13-16 and Luke 19:1-10.

The program started by the leader reading about a short background about Cuba,  the leader was my older cousin and it was a heartbreaking start since she was crying and sobbing because my aunt's eternal reposed was brought home a moment before the proper service started, the church was just in the neighborhood so they saw it when the funeral parlor came. After a short introduction about cuba,  Cuba's national flower "butterfly jasmine" was introduced and then the service runs according to a program written by World Day of Prayer Committee of Cuba.

The church was decorated in Cuban theme, there were different colors of paper butterflies adorned the pulpit. It was said that they should be look like butterfly jasmine but they end up looking like butterflies.

World Day of Prayer is a global ecumenical movement led by Christian women who welcome you to join in prayer and action for peace and justice.

A Blessed Sunday: Remember, Rejoice and Rededicate

Today is the last Sunday of the month and the church is celebrating its 51st Founding Anniversary and Thanksgiving, it should be also Easter Sunday but due to some circumstances some members didn't agree that there should be a separate devotion at early morning, welcoming Easter.

[Image source: biblepic.com]

Anyway, Pastor E's scriptural topic is Remember, Rejoice and Rededicate from scriptures of Deuteronomy 8:18, Deuteronomy 32:7, Psalms 64:10 and Romans 12:1. He started his preaching from remembering back the old days on how the church was built and started. He recalled how the older members served faithfully in the church, how united and active they were. Then Pastor E shared some reasons to celebrate and rejoice, on 51 years that had passed the church produces four daughter churches and it is progressively ahead than the mother church in the province.

[Image source: lifencanvas.blogspot.com]

Rededicate, Pastor E told everyone that along the way we have lapses on our relationship with God, we are sometimes discourage with our relationship between ourselves and our brothers so we should settle this issues, restore our faith and commitment with God.

May our hearts be truly grateful and may we show our gratitude by the ways in which we live and care for others.

Well, after the church service, there is a small feast. Every zone bring food to feast but I went home and didn't eat since I have no contribution in the food that our zone prepared.

A Blessed Sunday: What are The Facts About God's Love

When I wake up this morning my head still feel so sensitive and a bit painful when I speak but I have no plan of not going to church today. I was planning to take a bath early but there isn't water coming from the faucet yet, the water supply wasn't good since December. Anyway, the church service  is very early today since it is the first Sunday of the month, I was late when I came it is already on scripture reading gladly I was still able to get the scriptural verse which is from 1 John 4:7-12 [God's Love and Ours].

“True love is rare, and it's the only thing that gives life real meaning.” ― Nicholas Sparks

The preaching for this Sunday is about love, since it is love month. Pastor E talked about God's love for all of us, how He sacrifice His life for everyone. He elaborate too the facts of God's love where it is described in the context that it is unspeakable, unending (eternal), unselfish, unmerited and unconditional.

Secondly, God's love was demonstrated in Calvary when He sacrifice His life for our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21), His love was also displayed in the Christians. Some people in the bible who demonstrate different types of love are Joseph to his brothers (Forgiving love), Hosea to his wife (Redeeming love), God to Peter (Compassionate love).

When the love of God is present in the life of a believer, it will be visible in five different areas which are love for the Savior, love for the scripture, love for the sanctuary, love for the saints and love for the sinners.

The Challenge for this Sunday:

Love does not actually count the cost, it does not keep a ledger of profit and loss. Love is spendthrift. It does not measure itself out with an eyedropper. Love is extravagant. Love seeks out a need and never stops giving. Love is a risky business, for it costs .... costs EVERYTHING!

A Blessed Sunday: How Amazing God's Words

Yesterday was the last Sunday of the month, and it is National Bible Sunday. The church has foreign visitors too, an older couple. The older woman is well-known missionary who is translating the bible in one of the local dialect of our Province and as what I have heard when she’s introduced by our Pastor that she first arrived in the island in 1980’s and was still single that time so no wonder she spoke the local dialect fluently.

The theme of Philippine Bible Society for National Bible Week celebration is “God’s Word: Hope for the Family and Strength of the Nation" so the scriptural topic is about how amazing God's Words, it was said God's word is more precious than gold so it must be desired.

[Image source: www.bible.org.ph]

According to Psalms 19: 7-14, the word of the Lord revived us, it enlighten our eyes and lead us to God's forgiveness. We became energetic and lively through reading the bible and when we read it helps us enlighten our path and see our lives clearly, the bible help us to see and clear us from our hidden faults, it brought us to light from the dark. Pastor E says each time you read the bible you are revived, enlighten, and forgive. All in all you will be bless and in return you will be blessings to others.

When the church service ended the visitors has some goods to sell like bookmarks, key chains and wall decors which are laminated I think the proceeds will go to the  funds needed for translation of the bible to local dialect.

Fulfilling Life Purposes

It was been my habit to say “always look at the bright side” but when I passed through the dark tunnel of life I have closed my eyes and I can’t see any light like I am blind; there is no bright side it is pitched black.

Today is the first Sunday of the month and as usual the church service started at 7 o’clock in the morning the spiritual topic is Fulfilling Life Purposes from the book of Psalms 90: 12.

[Image source: d.gr-assets.com]

All of us have different purpose and mission in life, have you found yours? What is God’s purpose in your life? Are you fulfilling that purpose? These were the question raised to us by our pastor and after which he informed everyone that we could find our life purpose if we remain teachable throughout our brief life span, by learning to manage our given time well and allow ourselves to be transformed as God intends.

Seeking Christ at Christmas and Exchange Gift Plans

Today, is the third Sunday of the month and the last Sunday before Christmas, before the service proper started there is a short meeting on what to do after the Christmas program on the 23rd.  It was decided to have an exchanged gift and to already draw the names so everyone could know the person they picked and everyone could buy the right gift.

The scriptural topic for today is the continuation of the topic on the first Sunday of the month which is Seeking Christ at Christmas our Pastor told us, he has to cut it in two parts because there is a church hopping to another town after the service that Sunday. He stated that life is easier today because there is a lot of transport but still people goes farther away from God, unlike those old times where there isn't a lot of transport yet and people only uses lamp but people always found a way to go to church to attend prayer meeting or church service.  We are told that there are three types of people in the Bible who seek God, we are told not live like King Herod or the inn keeper, we should live like the shepherds and the wise men who seek for Jesus, the shepherds leave their flocks without thinking if the sheep's will be eaten by wolves or their employer will fire them and while the wise men traveled far leaving their home and family just to see Jesus. At the end, our Pastor encouraged everyone to go to church every Sunday,  to stop the excuses of being busy at work or nobody will be left in the house, we must turn away our old self-centered life and seek God whole heartily and after the church service is the drawing of the names for the exchange gift.

Anyway, it was my grandfather and Cody's death anniversary on the 19th, I recalled being in a dark room inside my grandparent's house on Christmas and New Year's eve while everyone is making noise outside, fireworks are flying in the sky, people are laughing but we are hiding in the dark and I remember being alone on Christmas a few years ago when J has to go home, crying while singing Christian songs, well this is two of my unforgettable memories of Christmas.